IMPACTS OF DUPLICATION OF A FEDERAL HIGHWAY ON MOBILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY IN A SMALL NORTHEAST CITY

Abstract

This article seeks to identify and analyze the main urban impacts on local mobility and accessibility due to the duplication of BR-101-RN in the urban crossing of Goianinha – RN. The methodology adopted is based on an assessment of land use change trends and addresses the variations in mobility and accessibility conditions due to the highway duplication, based on a population survey, on shifts in their movement habits. This research tests the identification of the duplicated highway as an urban barrier, seeking to associate the resulting transformations, with the solutions adopted in the project, which present characteristics that favor traffic passing to the detriment of population mobility. Among the impacts observed are highlighted: i) socio-spatial segregation with a tendency of urban sprawl; ii) an impedance increase due to the lengthening of routes and to inconveniences imposed to expressive portion of students and citizens in general, who need to use the elevated walkways, although a significant part of them do not use it, assuming the risks; iii) increases in travel times with higher incidence on users of motorized modes, mainly of buses and residents in the most distant neighborhoods. Despite increases in travel times, about 40% of automobile, motorcycle and bus users report improvements in mobility and traffic due to increased fluidity, even with increased distances. These impacts demonstrate the incompatibility of the designed solution with the needs of the local population. As a conclusion, the adopted crossing model configures a barrier, which requires the adoption of mitigating measures to reduce its impacts on the functioning of the city and the conflicts between local traffic and passing traffic.